Every week of the high school sports season, there will be a poll to honor the Elmore County area’s top athlete with the Wetumpka Herald Fan’s Choice Player of the Week.
Voting begins early in the week and closes Friday morning on thewetumpkaherald.com/sports. The winner will be honored in the print and web sections of the Herald.
The poll nominations rely on stats from coaches each week. If stats are not provided, players may often get overlooked.
This week’s nominees are:
Dillon Barnes, basketball
School: Stanhope Elmore
Last week: Dillon Barnes has already proven himself as one of the area’s top scorers, but he took that skill to the next level in an area matchup with Wetumpka this weekend. Barnes scored a game-high 37 points in the overtime loss, 18 points more than the next closest player. He scored over half of his team’s points and almost single-handedly helped the Mustangs erase an 18-point deficit in regulation.
Madison Martin, basketball
School: Edgewood Academy
Last week: Martin had a stellar week to help the Edgewood Academy girls basketball team remain unbeaten on the season. In three games against Autauga Academy, Sparta Academy, and Hooper Academy, Martin scored 43 total points to lead the team during that stretch. Her best game came against No. 2-ranked Sparta where she scored 23 points to help Edgewood win.
Juliana Eldridge, wrestling
School: Wetumpka
Last week: Eldridge, only an eighth grader, finished off one of the most impressive wrestling seasons of any girl across the state of Alabama last weekend. Eldridge won the state championship in the 107-pound weight class in dominating fashion, 10-4 over her opponent. While doing so, she capped off a perfect 25-0 undefeated season. Even more impressive is the fact that not a single opponent was able to secure a take down on her all season.
